The Sangin valley mission is part of Operation Achilles, Nato's largest-ever manoeuvre against the Taliban, which began in March.

The operation is focused on reclaiming Helmand, Afghanistan's most turbulent province, from the Tailban so that the government of Hamid Karzai, the president, can expand its reach.

Al Jazeera's correspondent in Afghanistan said that representatives of the government were heading towards the district to convince Taliban to leave the area without the intervention of foreign forces.

Civilian deaths

In other news, Afghan police said on Tuesday that at least 30 civilians, including women and children, were among the dead after clashes in western Afghanistan that the US-led multinational force claimed had killed 136 Taliban members.

The fighting erupted in Herat province's Shindand district on Friday and again on Sunday.

"There were at least 30 civilians including women and children among those killed in Shindand's fighting," Mohammad Shafiq Fazli, the Herat police chief, said.